I hate my pool, or Leslies, or myself....

[ebwhite]

Anyways, I have an approx 23k gal in ground pebble pool that I remodeled about 9 months ago. Started off with test strips and pool did great through the spring. Always used acid and powdered chlorine, keeping FC around 4-5ppm. Once summer hit, I was getting weekly algae. Started using Costco pool tabs and Went to Leslies for their test. Bought some of their magic sauce and it did nothing but made the problem worse. Made me want to fill the pool in with dirt, lol...

Anyways, wife didn't like that idea so I ordered the Pro test kit after reading that test strips are worthless.

Pool typically gets green all over weekly, I brush and vacuum sucks it up, repeats again. I've cleaned the filter, hasn't helped much. It's not terrible but definitely not what I expected with a new pool. My old pool was hard to take care of so I was looking forward to a new pool- I guess it was my fault so I'm here for some help, lol...

Here was my first test-

FC- 5.5
CC- 1
CYA - 100 (Leslies told me this was good, lol)
Alk - 110
PH 8.2
Calcium 600

My first goal is to drain some of the pool to get my CYA down to 60. Then get the PH down and start a SLAM. Then I'll use the new test kit to fix my ways.

Few questions:

1) I have a pentair cartridge filter with no backwash valve which is normal from my searches. Slam says I need to backwash, how does that work or ignore that?
2) I have a SWG but it's unhooked as I was waiting per the pebble installers recommendation to add salt for 6 months. I ran into the algae issue so I never added anything. Once I get the SLAM done and get the pool under control, would it be a good time to get the SWG and salt started or should I get it converted to salt prior to SLAM?


Thanks for the help,
Erik

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

1. Cartridge filters don't get backwashed. They get removed from the tank and cleaned by hand with a garden hose.

2. No need to start salt until after your Slam. Stock up on liquid chlorine for the Slam process. See if you can get your CYA lower than 60. The lower the CYA, the less LC you'll need for the Slam.

Your pool should not "typically get green all over weekly". Follow the TFP process - keep the free chlorine high enough for your CYA level - and you'll never see green again. I've never seen green in my pool.

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[Jimrahbe]

Erik,

I would just let it dribble down my leg, before I'd go into Leslie's just to use their bathroom, much less let them test my pool water...

You have algae because you are not keeping your FC high enough. It is just that dirt simple..

See this chart... FC/CYA Levels

With a CYA of 100 your target FC range is 11 to 13 ppm.. with an absolute minimum of 8 ppm... (Kind of why we do not recommend high CYA..)

I suspect that your CYA is higher than 100, unless you did the diluted CYA test..

Thanks,

Jim R.